Bruno El-Bennich

Lou Pepe Kriek (2020) El-Bennich

This is so smooth, so round, so many people make quite aggressive sour Krieks, I almost get some vanilla.

Nath (2024) El-Bennich

A bit disappointing and aversive compared with previous years. Perhaps one has to try it again in 1-2 years.

Kriek 100% Lambic 2024 El-Bennich

Rose De Gambrinus 2024 El-Bennich

Racine (2023) El-Bennich

Cuvee St Gilloise (2023) El-Bennich

Still quite hoppy.

Geuze (2024) El-Bennich

Saint Lamvinus (2024) El-Bennich

Even better than last time.

Chouke (2022) El-Bennich

Perhaps more cereal and less tart than the regular geuze, but as tasty.

Piacere (2023) El-Bennich

Signorina (2022) El-Bennich

Saint Lamvinus (2024) El-Bennich

Moriau Oude Geuze Vieille El-Bennich

Had tried this before, still don't like it.

50n 4e Batch 8 El-Bennich

This was even more outstanding, rich, complex, reminding Armagnac, sherry and whichever other wine in one glass.

Saint Lamvinus (2023) El-Bennich

Vigneronne (2023) El-Bennich

This taste less of grapes than previous vintages, tasty, but a bit behind what I'm used to. On the other hand, some Vigneronne were quite acidic in the past and this one is quite round.

60 Minute IPA El-Bennich

Either the pipeline was dirty or the keg tapped for weeks, but really low carbonated and low bitterness IPA.

Rosé de Gambrinus (2017) El-Bennich

This becomes better with the years !

Vigneronne (2020) El-Bennich

This one aged well. Still a bit acidic, but much mellower and unlike when young and aggressive.

Cuvée Saint-Gilloise (Champions) 2022 El-Bennich

50°N-4°E (2018) El-Bennich

50 Degrees N - 4 Degrees E (2018) (Brandy) El-Bennich

Held up very nicely, lost some carbonation but lovely barrel, slightly tart and more funky, dry and vinous.

Nath (2017) El-Bennich

So balanced, funky, but without this little petroleum smell that characterizes these rhubarb lambic when fresh. Actually, the rhubarb flavor was very mild.

Mortal Bloom El-Bennich

Kriek 100% Lambic Bio (2021) El-Bennich

Iris (2020) El-Bennich

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2011) El-Bennich

Cuvée Saint-Gilloise (Champions) (2023) El-Bennich

Drogone Lambic (2021) El-Bennich

Rosé De Gambrinus (2022) El-Bennich

One of their day to day beers of which I wished I could have one at least one a week or every month. The raspberry is still fresh and shining with a mild tartness and very elegant sourness, no aggressive acidity as one is used to from Cantillon.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2016) 11.9% El-Bennich

Still has very good carbonation but foam decreases rapidly, almost no lacing, medium to full body, chocolate and coffee, bourbon and barrel are a faint memory.

KBS Blueberry El-Bennich

Barrel aged stout thinned down to the leve that the body vanished, but chug is due to way too much tart blueberry.

Magic Lambic (2020) El-Bennich

Beautiful aromas of cherries and vanilla, almost creamy mouthfeel and good carbonation, but surprisingly acidic for a Cantillon. Even a bit aggressive for a Cantillon.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2022) El-Bennich

Very lively, perhaps less dry and certainly with less hop flavors than the 2021. Goes a bit back to earlier vintages with citric aromas and peachy finish, more effervescent and more Brett than the earlier versions.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2021) El-Bennich

The driest so far, none dry, and with astonishing hop on the nose. Funky, tart finish, without the peach, just a bit fruity on the palate, yeastier and super carbonated. Would give it another 2-3 years, this is almost too fresh for me.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2019) El-Bennich

The 2019 is similar to the 2015, more on the drier side, still citric and funky, but perhaps less complex, less of that peachy and honey character I got from the earlier Megablends. Acidity is still very moderate, less carbonation than 2015.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend 2011 El-Bennich

This feels already much fresher, mouthfeel is fuller, very citric and zesty aromas, more acidity than the 2009 yet without being aggressive, similar smooth finish with a hint of peach, lemon zest and slight honey.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2017) El-Bennich

This one goes back to the earlier blends like the 2011, less dry than 2015, yet more acidic with this characteristic cítrica aroma, and this peach and honey like finish. More carbonated.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend 2015 El-Bennich

This one has a very similar profile, actually the consistency from vintage to vintage is striking. However, drier, less bitter than 2013, but not as fruity and honey like finish as 2009 and 2011.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend 2009 El-Bennich

Of course somewhat oxidized, darker more copper colored, funky but the acidity is very mild and gave way to a round, almost honey like finish, with some pear and lemon zest.

Sang Bleu (2023) El-Bennich

Kriek 100% Lambic Bio (2014) El-Bennich

Kriek 100% Lambic Bio (2019) El-Bennich

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2004) El-Bennich

This one is past its prime, still lots of wood and funky, moderate acidity but almost no carbonation.

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2006) El-Bennich

This one held up much better than the 2004, still well carbonated, pours a decent foam, feels fresher and funkier.

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2016) El-Bennich

Funny, this one is more recent but feels less fresh than the 2006! Even the 2004 was more complex, still quite nice.

Sang Bleu (2023) El-Bennich

50°N-4°E (2021) El-Bennich

This one has Marsala and rum besides Armagnac, the result is round, less funky that a usual lambic, with an aroma of green apples, tons of barrel that enhance the lambic, and it's a slight sweet finish that may be due to the rum.

Saint Lamvinus (2022) El-Bennich

Confirm impression of a few months ago. Beautiful vinous flavor reminding southern Côtes du Rhône wines that add astringency to the wine that somehow balanced the tartness of lambic.

Drogone Lambic (2023) El-Bennich

This is one is obviously more astringent and tannic than Vin Santo and other lambics macerated with white wine grapes. It's not overly dry, more vinous, actually it feels like a blend of lambic and wine, low acidity, tart and only slight funk.

Sang Bleu (2023) El-Bennich

Delicious, tart, less funky than Racine or Plaisir, red berries, dry. But also the least complex Cantillon of the night.

Vin Santo 2022 El-Bennich

Hard to say which one I preferred between this one, Racine and Plaisir. This one seems more lively, perhaps less balanced but as complex as the Plaisir with the fruitiness and slight vinous sweetness of the Racine.

Racine (2021) El-Bennich

Fruity, funky, balanced with a sweetish honey-like flavor, less mineral and dry than the Plaisir, more vinous reminiscent of a Tokay.

Le Plaisir 2022 El-Bennich

Aromas remember a Riesling from the Mosel, with the characteristic mineral petroleum. On palate it tastes quite unlike other Cantillons I've had, complex, fruity, slightly citric reminiscent of pineapple, slight salty finish.

Framboise Boon (2020) El-Bennich

Oude Geuze Boon à l'Ancienne - VAT 31 Mono Blend El-Bennich

Geuze Boon Sélection El-Bennich

Drogone Lambic (2021) El-Bennich

This feels more acidic and aggressive than what I had a few months ago, but still very complex, grapes, sour cherries and funk.

Fou' Foune (2020) El-Bennich

The older these Foufoune become, the drier they seem to be. Or it's this particular vintage. But it's really funky, almost cheese like and super dry. Apricot is still very present but without any sweetness more fruity.

Bruoscella 1900 Grand Cru (2022) El-Bennich

This one never was a favorite of mine, but today I realized that it works very well with food and eating an apricot or a cherry tomato the beer feels quite salty afterwards. Low carbonation, vinous, flat and funky.

Saint Lamvinus 2020 El-Bennich

So beautiful !!!

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2016) 11.9% El-Bennich

Seems to be way beyond its prime, perhaps bad storing, but besides a quite thin body, it's mainly oxidized malt, chocolate and bourbon at this point. I hoped that warming up the beer beer would open up a bit, though it certainly added more layers ..

Curmudgeon’s Better Half (2018) El-Bennich

As for the CBS, this seems to improve and become rounder with time, less sweet and sticky. Although it's also beyond its prime.

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2017) El-Bennich

I used to prefer the KBS as I'm not such a fan of maple which makes beer to sticky for my palate. But the years made this beer rounder, less sweet yet still full bodied and rich, actually aged better than the KBS.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2016) 12.4% El-Bennich

Also revisiting this one, two years older than the 2018 CBS and feels already much thinner and the barrel is also a faint memory. Still, a beauty of a barrel aged stout, just past its prime.

Breakfast Stout El-Bennich

Revisiting this old acquaintance after a few years. That bottle must be a few years old but still tastes of rich chocolate, silky and creamy oat and nicely balanced although the body got thinner.

Palo Santo Marron El-Bennich

KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa (2022) El-Bennich

Prefer by far the original version - at least the cinnamon was really in background

Brabantiae (2018) El-Bennich

Lovely, elegant and really balanced, the port lingers in background but doesn't steal the scene, feels more complex and vivid than the Zenne e Porto.

Saint Lamvinus (2022) El-Bennich

This one is always a pleasant beer, tart and so reminiscent of southern French wines, perhaps bolder than other lambics with grapes.

Vigneronne (2020) El-Bennich

Better than previous year that was more acidic, this one boasts the fresh viognier grapes, is floral, funky, slightly tart with bit of a citric finish. Also quite mineral.

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2015) El-Bennich

Never disappoints and may even improve !

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge El-Bennich

Ok stout, lots of coffee, bit the promsie of maple and bourbon barrel was disappointing. Medoum body wiyh just a hint of maple, the barrel is not really present.

Nath (2020) El-Bennich

Chocolate Cherry KBS El-Bennich

The old KBs is still there but sweeter and becoming more pastry.

Camerise (2021) El-Bennich

Incredible !

Oude Geuze Boon Black Label Edition N°3 El-Bennich

Always nice to revisit, ages beautifully, mild funk on the nose, moderately tart, refreshing, a hint citric, round.

Magic Lambic (2022) El-Bennich

The vanilla is moderately present in the finish, still very fresh full of blueberry and raspberry, moderate acidity and nice tartness, easy to drink the whole bottle.

Lou Pepe Gueuze (2011) El-Bennich

This aged so gracefully, a hint of funky cheese, tamed acidity, Brett, still carbonated and even effervescent, slight citric and peppery notes, beautiful !

Kriek 100% Lambic Bio (2018) El-Bennich

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2019) El-Bennich

Fou' Foune (2019) El-Bennich

Punkin Ale El-Bennich

Gueuze (2021) El-Bennich

50°N-4°E (2022) El-Bennich

Preferred more the 2021 which was even more sensational and the barrel work more impressive, had mor cognac. Still, holly Molly !

Iris (2019) El-Bennich

Beautifully funky, cereal, a bit citric, and of course much more hoppy that the traditional lambics.

Oude Geuze Boon Black Label Edition N°4 El-Bennich

A classic lambic with all the attributes that apply, funky, tart, but not rustic with a moldy aroma, rather well rounded and elegant, effervescent, a hint of citric notes without being to acidic, still a nice foam, lovely.

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2015) El-Bennich

Cuvée Saint-Gilloise (Champions) 2022 El-Bennich

Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella Lambic Bio (2017-2018) El-Bennich

Kriek 100% Lambic Bio (2022) El-Bennich

Sang Bleu (2022) El-Bennich

Effervescent, lovely balanced acidity, the fruit reminds a blueberry with similar tartness but perhaps more intense, well carbonated and fresh.

Saint Lamvinus (2021) El-Bennich

Rosé de Gambrinus (2021) El-Bennich

Drogone Lambic (2022) El-Bennich

This is beautiful, deep cherry like fruit and vinous, complex and at the same time easy to drink.

Vigneronne (2021) El-Bennich

Fou’ Foune (2021) El-Bennich

More fruity, hazy, acidic than than what I remember. Perhaps 1-2 years will add more complexity and balance to this really funky beer. Still delicious.

Gueuze (2021) El-Bennich

More funky and tart than the previous Girardin, also more citric.

Moeder Lambic Fontainas Cuvée X Browsel El-Bennich

50 Degrees N - 4 Degrees E (2020) (Cognac) El-Bennich

This is something, the cognac is subtle, but so much going on! Funky, moderately tart, effervescent, full, complex, fruity, a hint of peach and fruit stones.